by David Brenneman
“How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah. How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
Psalms 84:1-5, 10-12 NASB1995
How often do your thoughts go to those of your new home in Heaven?
How often do you long to finally get embraced by your living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
King David was obviously meditating on this thought.
We are often, and increasingly so each day it seems, to be more and more consumed by the things of this world. Be it this situation or that one, this breaking, that needs attention etc.
Yet the lesson of Mary and Martha is often overlooked.
Jesus said what about Martha's question concerning her sister helping her with preparations?
She has chose the better part and it will not be taken from her.
Do we choose the better part each day? Did not the Lord Jesus often make the Disciples stop, get away, and rest? Wasn't He making them to see: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalms 23:1-6?
We are in an ever increasingly busy world. Paper calendars can't keep up. We are being forced into a mode of living that has but one purpose: be too busy for Jesus.
We are also being made to be too busy to think. For decades, between intentional over medicating and psychological thoughts, every attempt is being made to get people to push people to let others do their thinking for them. This spills into even the Church. People come in to church to listen then go their own way...not at all trying to apply what they've learned because of various things like not stopping to rest in the Lord.
My Dear Reader we will become like Elijah's last days if we aren't careful.
We will live days where things overlap and collide. Where we don't have time to catch a breath let alone a break.
We have to break that mold that society has us trying to conform to.
There's something you need to remember and recognize. This is ENTIRELY a scheme of the devil.
It's not just the pressures of keeping up. It's intentional busyness even in the pleasures of this world. Keeping up with other's who have more than we do. Spending time and money on worthless things rather than to be as intentional as we can be in growing in Christ as a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.
We don't see nor attempt to comprehend what Jesus was meaning by storing up treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy.
We are drowning in the thoughts of status. How well we look before others and not how we look before our Savior Jesus Christ. How well we keep up our home, what kind of vehicle we drive and how much bling it has. What clothes we wear. Is it the latest style. What stuff fills our house. What worldly interests are we keeping up on to honestly make us look appealing to others and increase our status before others.
Stop.
Stop and rest with Jesus.
Stop and get your intentionality on the right thing.
Your world is supposed to be as much about the Father’s business as Jesus's was when He was here in person.
Jesus said that the world would hate us because it first hated Him.
The world won't if we're unwittingly conforming to the world.
So what if you have money to relax and be at ease or if you're living paycheck to paycheck.
You, like what Jesus told Peter, need to recognize and understand that YOU need to follow Jesus. Not the world. Not so-and-so. Not this image or that image of success.
Are you investing in your life in Christ or are you investing in your status in this world? One is the selfless action the other is the selfish action.
The schemes of the devil are wanting you to convince yourself that you don't need to give Jesus all of your time, energy and effort. That it's ok since God's not stopping you from what you're doing, saying or thinking.
Jesus said if anyone wishes to come after Him that they must deny themselves, take up their own cross, and follow Him.
Is this a reflection of your life and life's choices?
Look at your calendar or at your week or even just today.
It's up to you to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
It's up to you to choose the better thing.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment